As the leaves outside change color and the temperatures begin to dip, these chillier autumn days demand some quality time indoors with a hot drink and some great books. While you’re stocking up on your top choices, be sure to queer your fall reading with LGBT literature from Autonomous Press. Our “Weird Books for Weird People” includes titles recognized by the Lambda Literary Awards along with innovative collections of poetry, short fiction and memoir from queer and neurodivergent writers.

Defiant: A Complex, Engaging Read

As part of the Shaping Clay series, Defiant is a book that turns typical narratives about autism on their heads. Many of these, penned by authors who are not autistic, barely scratch the surface when it comes autistic people, sexual orientation, and gender. True to its title, Defiant challenges this status quo with a protagonist, Clay Dillion, who transforms in so many ways throughout its story arc. Nominated for a 2016 Lambda Literary Award in the Transgender Fiction category, it’s LGBT literature documenting a transgender autistic experience. As Clay moves through a world that is messy, chaotic, horrifically dark, and morbid, watching him begin to embody the qualities in the book’s title makes for an intrinsically gratifying read.

Queer Narratives in Barking Sycamores

Barking Sycamores is a journal entirely edited by transgender people of color, publishing work by neurodivergent creatives. The journal joined the AutPress family in March 2016 with the release of its Barking Sycamores: Year One print and digital anthology. Year One, and the soon-to-be-released Barking Sycamores: Year Two anthology, both include LGBT poetry and short fiction. They’re both collections where neurodiversity and LBGT literature meet, featuring stunning work by several dozen authors from all over the world.

Neurodivergent LGBT Lit in Multiple Genres

We’ve spotlighted just a few queer lit books here, but don’t forget to check out our other titles from LGBT writers and contributors! That includes both the first Spoon Knife Anthology and Spoon Knife 2: Test Chamber, as well as The US Book. All of these and more are available directly from the AutPress store. So…what are you waiting for?